SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Petition

On October 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) received a countervailing duty (CVD) petition concerning imports of seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe (seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe) from India, filed in proper form on behalf of Tenaris USA (Tenaris), Vallourec Star LP (Vallourec), and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (USW) (collectively, the petitioners), domestic producers of seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe and a certified union, which represents workers engaged in the production of seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe in the United States.^[1] The CVD Petition was accompanied by antidumping duty (AD) petitions concerning imports of seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe from Georgia and India.^[2]

Between October 20 and 26, 2026, Commerce requested supplemental information pertaining to certain aspects of the Petition in supplemental questionnaires.^[3] Between October 22 and 28, 2026, the petitioners filed timely responses to these requests for additional information.^[4]

In accordance with section 702(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the petitioners allege that the Government of India (GOI) is providing countervailable subsidies, within the meaning of sections 701 and 771(5) of the Act, to producers of seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe from India, and that such imports are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, the domestic industry producing seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe in the United States. Consistent with section 702(b)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.202(b), for those alleged programs on which we are initiating a CVD investigation, the Petition was accompanied by information reasonably available to the petitioners supporting their allegations.

Commerce finds that the petitioners filed the Petition on behalf of the domestic industry, because the petitioners are interested parties, as defined in sections 771(9)(C) and (D) of the Act.^[5] Commerce also finds that the petitioners demonstrated sufficient industry support with respect to the initiation of the requested CVD investigation.^[6]

Period of Investigation (POI)

Because the Petition was filed on October 15, 2026, the POI is January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.^[7]

Scope of the Investigation

The product covered by this investigation is seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe from India. For a full description of the scope of this investigation, see the appendix to this notice.

Comments on the Scope of the Investigation

On October 20 and 26, 2026, Commerce requested information and clarification from the petitioners regarding the proposed scope to ensure that the scope language in the Petition is an accurate reflection of the products for which the domestic industry is seeking relief.^[8] On October 22 and 28, 2026, the petitioners provided clarifications and revised the scope.^[9] The description of merchandise covered by this investigation, as described in the appendix to this notice, reflects these clarifications.

As discussed in the Preamble to Commerce's regulations, we are setting ( printed page 70848) aside a period for interested parties to raise issues regarding product coverage ( i.e., scope).^[10] Commerce will consider all scope comments received from interested parties and, if necessary, will consult with interested parties prior to the issuance of the preliminary determination. If scope comments include factual information, all such factual information should be limited to public information.^[11] Commerce requests that interested parties provide at the beginning of their scope comments a public executive summary for each comment or issue raised in their submission. Commerce further requests that interested parties limit their public executive summary of each comment or issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. Commerce intends to use the public executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the analysis of scope comments. To facilitate preparation of its questionnaires, Commerce requests that scope comments be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on November 24, 2026, which is 20 calendar days from the signature date of this notice. Any rebuttal comments, which may include factual information, and should also be limited to public information, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. ET on December 4, 2026, which is 10 calendar days from the initial comment deadline.

Commerce requests that any factual information that parties consider relevant to the scope of this investigation be submitted during that period. However, if a party subsequently finds that additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the investigation may be relevant, the party must contact Commerce and request permission to submit the additional information. All scope comments must be filed simultaneously on the records of the concurrent AD and CVD investigations.

Filing Requirements

All submissions to Commerce must be filed electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS), unless an exception applies.^[12] An electronically filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by the time and date it is due.

Consultations

Pursuant to sections 702(b)(4)(A)(i) and (ii) of the Act, Commerce notified the GOI of the receipt of the Petition and provided an opportunity for consultations with respect to the Petition.^[13] Commerce held consultations with the GOI on November 3, 2026.^[14]

Determination of Industry Support for the Petition

Section 702(b)(1) of the Act requires that a petition be filed on behalf of the domestic industry. Section 702(c)(4)(A) of the Act provides that a petition meets this requirement if the domestic producers or workers who support the petition account for: (i) at least 25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product; and (ii) more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. Moreover, section 702(c)(4)(D) of the Act provides that, if the petition does not establish support of domestic producers or workers accounting for more than 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product, Commerce shall: (i) poll the industry or rely on other information in order to determine if there is support for the petition, as required by subparagraph (A); or (ii) determine industry support using a statistically valid sampling method to poll the “industry.”

Section 771(4)(A) of the Act defines the “industry” as the producers as a whole of a domestic like product. Thus, to determine whether a petition has the requisite industry support, the statute directs Commerce to look to producers and workers who produce the domestic like product. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which is responsible for determining whether “the domestic industry” has been injured, must also determine what constitutes a domestic like product in order to define the industry. While both Commerce and the ITC apply the same statutory definition regarding the domestic like product,^[15] they do so for different purposes and pursuant to a separate and distinct authority. In addition, Commerce's determination is subject to limitations of time and information. Although this may result in different definitions of the like product, such differences do not render the decision of either agency contrary to law.^[16]

Section 771(10) of the Act defines the domestic like product as “a product which is like, or in the absence of like, most similar in characteristics and uses with, the article subject to an investigation under this title.” Thus, the reference point from which the domestic like product analysis begins is “the article subject to an investigation” ( i.e., the class or kind of merchandise to be investigated, which normally will be the scope as defined in the petition).

With regard to the domestic like product, the petitioners do not offer a definition of the domestic like product distinct from the scope of the investigation.^[17] Based on our analysis of the information submitted on the record, we have determined that seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe, as defined in the scope, constitutes a single domestic like product, and we have analyzed industry support in terms of that domestic like product.^[18]

In determining whether the petitioners have standing under section 702(c)(4)(A) of the Act, we considered the industry support data contained in the Petition with reference to the domestic like product as defined in the “Scope of the Investigation,” in the appendix to this notice. To establish industry support, the petitioners provided the 2025 shipments of the domestic like product for the U.S. producers that support the Petitions, and compared this to the estimated total 2025 shipments of the domestic like ( printed page 70849) product for the entire domestic industry.^[19] Because total production data for the domestic like product for 2025 are not reasonably available to the petitioners, and the petitioners have established that shipments are a reasonable proxy for production data,^[20] we relied on data provided by the petitioners for purposes of measuring industry support.^[21]

Our review of the data provided in the Petition, the First General Issues Supplement, and other information readily available to Commerce indicates that the petitioners have established industry support for the Petition.^[22] First, the Petition established support from domestic producers and supporters accounting for more than 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product and, as such, Commerce is not required to take further action in order to evaluate industry support ( e.g., polling).^[23] Second, the domestic producers and supporters have met the statutory criteria for industry support under section 702(c)(4)(A)(i) of the Act because the domestic producers and supporters who support the Petition account for at least 25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product.^[24] Finally, the domestic producers and supporters have met the statutory criteria for industry support under section 702(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the Act because the domestic producers and supporters who support the Petition account for more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the Petition.^[25] Accordingly, Commerce determines that the Petition was filed on behalf of the domestic industry within the meaning of section 702(b)(1) of the Act.^[26]

Injury Test

Because India is a “Subsidies Agreement Country” within the meaning of section 701(b) of the Act, section 701(a)(2) of the Act applies to this investigation. Accordingly, the ITC must determine whether imports of the subject merchandise from India materially injure, or threaten material injury to, a U.S. industry.

Allegations and Evidence of Material Injury and Causation

The petitioners allege that imports of the subject merchandise are benefiting from countervailable subsidies and that such imports are causing, or threaten to cause, material injury to the U.S. industry producing the domestic like product. In addition, the petitioners allege that subject imports exceed the negligibility threshold provided for under section 771(24)(A) of the Act.^[27]

The petitioners contend that the industry's injured condition is illustrated by a significant increase in the volume of subject imports; underselling and price depression and/or suppression; negative impact on financial performance; and declines in production, U.S. shipments, and employment variables.^[28] We assessed the allegations and supporting evidence regarding material injury, threat of material injury, causation, as well as negligibility, and we have determined that these allegations are properly supported by adequate evidence, and meet the statutory requirements for initiation.^[29]

Initiation of CVD Investigation

Based upon the examination of the Petition and supplemental responses, we find that they meet the requirements of section 702 of the Act. Therefore, we are initiating a CVD investigation to determine whether imports of seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe from India benefit from countervailable subsidies conferred by the GOI. In accordance with section 703(b)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(b)(1), unless postponed, we will make our preliminary determination no later than 65 days after the date of this initiation.

Based on our review of the Petition, we find that there is sufficient information to initiate a CVD investigation on 24 programs alleged by the petitioners. For a full discussion of the basis for our decision to initiate on each program, see the India CVD Initiation Checklist. A public version of the initiation checklist for this investigation is available on ACCESS.

Respondent Selection

In the Petition, the petitioners identified 16 companies in India.^[30] Commerce intends to follow its standard practice in CVD investigations and calculate company-specific subsidy rates in this investigation. In the event that Commerce determines that the number of companies is large and it cannot individually examine each company based on Commerce's resources, where appropriate, Commerce intends to select mandatory respondents based on quantity and value (Q&V) questionnaires issued to the potential respondents. Commerce normally selects mandatory respondents in CVD investigations using U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) entry data for U.S. imports under the appropriate Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings listed in the “Scope of the Investigation,” in the appendix. However, for this investigation, some of the main HTSUS subheadings under which the subject merchandise would enter (7304.19.1020, 7304.19.1030, 7304.19.1045, 7304.19.1060, 7304.19.5020, 7304.19.5050, 7304.31.6050, 7304.39.0016, 7304.39.0020, 7304.39.0024, 7304.39.0028, 7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 7304.39.0044, 7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.39.0062, 7304.39.0068, 7304.39.0072, 7304.51.5005, 7304.51.5060, 7304.59.6000) are basket categories under which non-subject merchandise may also enter. Therefore, instead of relying on CBP entry data in selecting respondents, we intend to issue Q&V questionnaires to each potential respondent for which there is complete address information on the record.

Commerce will post the Q&V questionnaire along with filing instructions on Commerce's website at www.trade.gov/​ec-adcvd-qv-questionnaire. Producers/exporters of seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe from India that do not receive Q&V questionnaires may still submit a response to the Q&V questionnaire and can obtain a copy of the Q&V questionnaire from Commerce's website. Responses to the Q&V questionnaire must be submitted by the relevant Indian producers/exporters no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on November 18, 2026, which is two weeks from the signature date of this notice. All Q&V questionnaire responses must be filed electronically via ACCESS. An ( printed page 70850) electronically filed document must be received successfully, in its entirety, by ACCESS no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on the deadline noted above.

Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under administrative protective order (APO) in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(b). Instructions for filing such applications may be found on Commerce's website at www.trade.gov/​administrative-protective-orders.

Distribution of a Copy of the Petition

In accordance with section 702(b)(4)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.202(f), a copy of the public version of the Petition has been provided to the GOI via ACCESS. To the extent practicable, we will attempt to provide a copy of the public version of the Petition to each exporter named in the Petition, as provided under 19 CFR 351.203(c)(2).

ITC Notification

Commerce will notify the ITC of its initiation, as required by section 702(d) of the Act.

Preliminary Determination by the ITC

The ITC will preliminarily determine, within 45 days after the date on which the Petition was filed, whether there is a reasonable indication that imports of seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe from India are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, a U.S. industry.^[31] A negative ITC determination will result in the investigation being terminated.^[32] Otherwise, this CVD investigation will proceed according to statutory and regulatory time limits.

Submission of Factual Information

Factual information is defined in 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) as: (i) evidence submitted in response to questionnaires; (ii) evidence submitted in support of allegations; (iii) publicly available information to value factors of production under 19 CFR 351.408(c) or to measure the adequacy of remuneration under 19 CFR 351.511(a)(2); (iv) evidence placed on the record by Commerce; and (v) evidence other than factual information described in (i)-(iv). Section 351.301(b) of Commerce's regulations requires any party, when submitting factual information, to specify under which subsection of 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) the information is being submitted ^[33] and, if the information is submitted to rebut, clarify, or correct factual information already on the record, to provide an explanation identifying the information already on the record that the factual information seeks to rebut, clarify, or correct.^[34] Time limits for the submission of factual information are addressed in 19 CFR 351.301, which provides specific time limits based on the type of factual information being submitted. Interested parties should review the regulations prior to submitting factual information in this investigation.

Extensions of Time Limits

Parties may request an extension of time limits before the expiration of a time limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as otherwise specified by Commerce. In general, an extension request will be considered untimely if it is filed after the expiration of the time limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as otherwise specified by Commerce.^[35] For submissions that are due from multiple parties simultaneously, an extension request will be considered untimely if it is filed after 10:00 a.m. ET on the due date. Under certain circumstances, Commerce may elect to specify a different time limit by which extension requests will be considered untimely for submissions which are due from multiple parties simultaneously. In such a case, we will inform parties in a letter or memorandum of the deadline (including a specified time) by which extension requests must be filed to be considered timely. An extension request must be made in a separate, standalone submission; under limited circumstances we will grant untimely filed requests for the extension of time limits, where we determine, based on 19 CFR 351.302, that extraordinary circumstances exist. Parties should review Commerce's regulations concerning the extension of time limits and the Time Limits Final Rule prior to submitting factual information in this investigation.^[36]

Certification Requirements

Any party submitting factual information in an AD or CVD proceeding must certify to the accuracy and completeness of that information.^[37] Parties must use the certification formats provided in 19 CFR 351.303(g).^[38] Commerce intends to reject factual submissions if the submitting party does not comply with the applicable certification requirements.

Notification to Interested Parties

Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Parties wishing to participate in this investigation should ensure that they meet the requirements of 19 CFR 351.103(d) ( e.g., by filing the required letters of appearance). Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).^[39]

This notice is issued and published pursuant to sections 702 and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.203(c).

Appendix

Scope of the Investigation

The merchandise covered by this investigation is seamless carbon and alloy steel (other than stainless steel) pipes and redraw hollows, less than or equal to 16 inches (406.4 mm) in nominal outside diameter, regardless of wall-thickness, manufacturing process ( e.g., hot finished or cold-drawn), end finish ( e.g., plain end, beveled end, upset end, threaded, or threaded and coupled), or surface finish ( e.g., bare, lacquered or coated). Redraw hollows are any unfinished carbon or alloy steel (other than stainless steel) pipe or “hollow profiles” suitable for cold finishing operations, such as cold drawing, to meet the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or American Petroleum Institute (API) specifications referenced below, or comparable specifications. Specifically included within the scope are seamless carbon and alloy steel (other than stainless steel) standard, line, and pressure pipes produced to the ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106, ASTM A-333, ASTM A-334, ASTM A-589, ASTM A-795, ASTM A-1024, and the API 5L specifications, or comparable specifications, and meeting the physical parameters described above, regardless of application, with the exception of the exclusions discussed below.

Specifically excluded from the scope of this investigation are: (1) all pipes meeting ( printed page 70851) aerospace, hydraulic, and bearing tubing specifications, including: (a) aerospace tubing produced to SAE Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS) 6360, 6361, and 6362; (b) hydraulic tubing produced to ASTM A-822, SAE J524, and EN 10305-4 specifications; and (c) bearing tubing produced to the SAE AMS 6440 specification, including bearing tubing manufactured from steel meeting the chemical and metallurgical requirements of ASTM A-295; (2) all pipes meeting the chemical requirements of ASTM A-335, whether finished or unfinished; (3) unattached couplings; (4) all mechanical, boiler, condenser and heat exchange tubing, except when such products conform to the dimensional requirements, i.e., outside diameter and wall thickness, of ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106 or API 5L specifications; (5) oil country tubular goods consisting of drill pipe, casing, tubing, and coupling stock; and (6) all pipes meeting the chemical requirements of ASTM A-335 regardless of their conformity to the dimensional requirements of ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106 or API 5L.

Subject seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe are normally entered under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7304.19.1020, 7304.19.1030, 7304.19.1045, 7304.19.1060, 7304.19.5020, 7304.19.5050, 7304.31.6050, 7304.39.0016, 7304.39.0020, 7304.39.0024, 7304.39.0028, 7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 7304.39.0044, 7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.39.0062, 7304.39.0068, 7304.39.0072, 7304.51.5005, 7304.51.5060, 7304.59.6000, 7304.59.8010, 7304.59.8015, 7304.59.8020, 7304.59.8025, 7304.59.8030, 7304.59.8035, 7304.59.8040, 7304.59.8045, 7304.59.8050, 7304.59.8055, 7304.59.8060, 7304.59.8065, and 7304.59.8070. Subject merchandise may also enter under HTSUS subheadings 7304.31.6010, 7304.39.0002, 7304.39.0004, 7304.39.0006, 7304.39.0008, 7304.51.5015, 7304.51.5045, 7304.59.2030, 7304.59.2040, 7304.59.2045, 7304.59.2055, and 7304.59.2060. The HTSUS subheadings and specifications are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope is dispositive.

91 FR 70847